(1) Summary of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bacterial method for inhibiting food-borne human pathogenic microorganisms and/or for preventing microbial spoilage in refrigerated processed foods after any heating of the foods during the processing which might inactivate bacteria. In particular, the present invention relates to a method wherein selected members of the genus Lactobacillus which metabolize in the processed food to produce an antimicrobial substance are inoculated into the processed food which is then held at refrigeration temperatures in order to inhibit the microorganisms without a substantial increase of the cell count (numbers) of the added bacterium.
(2) Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,514,424 to Raccach shows the use of Lactobacillus casei subspecies alactosus NRRL-B-12344 in fermented foods, particularly fermented sausage. The cells metabolize and increase in cell count in the sausage formulation. The problem is that this strain was later found to produce hydrogen peroxide which produces defects in sausage referred to as the "green ring". This strain was never commercialized for a sausage fermentation. The strain has been used for cheese fermentations where the cell count of the bacterium increases significantly as lactic acid is generated. The bacterium does not occur in significant numbers in the cheese product.